PALAKKAD:The government proposes to increase panchayat fund by up to 10 per cent from the next financial year. The information was passed on by the Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in his inaugural address at the state level panchayat day celebrations that were held here on Thursday.
Chief Minister Oomen Chandy said that discussions have been held with the Planning Board in this connection.He said that the gramasabhas should be made effective to achieve the aim of panchayat raj system of service to the people. The panchayat members, who have direct access to the people at the grassroot level, are one of the main links in a democracy.
To strengthen the three tier panchayat raj system, a total of 1,800 persons were appointed. Chandy said that the elected members of the local bodies should take it up as a challenge to rise to the expectations of the people.
The publication containing the Government directives on birth, death and marriage registrations that was brought out by the Social Justice department was released by the Chief Minister. The CM said that the peoples representatives should initiate efforts to create an awareness on the welfare programmes of the Central and state governments among the people.
He added that the publications brought out by the Social justice department that highlight the Central and state governments’ welfare schemes will be dispatched to every panchayat in the State.
Social justice Minister M K Muneer who presided over the meet said that decentralization of power should begin from the grassroot level. Under each ward, there are grama seva kendras and ward development committees under the ward member. Steps are being taken to constitute 66 more panchayats in the state.
The Minister urged the MLAs to use their funds to build wash rooms suitable for the differently abled and the children and other welfare projects.
P K Biju, MP, MLAs P C Vishunath, V T Balaram, Shafi Parambil, K Achuthan, N Shamsudheen and K V Vijayadas, Planning Board member C P John, president of the district panchayat T N Kandamuthan and Palakkad municipal chairman P V Rajesh spoke on the occasion.